Books by Jamie Bisher
The Intelligence War in Latin America, 1914-1922
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World War I did not bypass Latin America. Within days of the war’s outbreak, European belligerents mobilized intelligence assets and secret diplomacy to compete for Latin America’s allegiances and resources. This intelligence war entangled all of the American republics and even Japan. Dreary consular offices from the Rio Grande to the Straits of Magellan were abruptly thrust into covert activities, trafficking in fugitives, running contraband and conducting sabotage. Revolutionary and counter-revolutionary movements, big oil, international banks and businesses were also drawn in.
Drawing on long-classified U.S. intelligence documents, this narrative of the Latin American intelligence war reveals the complexity and chaos behind the placid veneer of wartime Pan-America. The author connects the dots between Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Guatemala City, Lima, Havana, Santiago, Rio de Janeiro, Berlin, London, Washington, Tokyo and dozens of safe houses, front companies, consulates, legations and headquarters in between. Scores of unrecognized veterans of the intelligence war are revealed. ASK YOUR LIBRARY, SCHOOL OR AGENCY TO ORDER IT ! |
$75 softcover
Photos, glossary, appendices, notes, bibliography, index ISBN 978-0-7864-3350-6 ebook ISBN 978-1-4766-2026-8 2015 |
Book Review - American Intelligence Journal
The American Intelligence Journal (Vol. 34, No. 1, 2017), magazine of the National Military Intelligence Association, recently published a glowing book review written by Dr. Russell G. Swenson, Latin American expert and former research director of National Intelligence University.
“The author stitches together photographic and documentary evidence with reasoned inference in a manner reminiscent of a Ken Burns documentary... “The author does accomplish the book’s objective—‘to bring to light and make sense of the intelligence war in Latin America during World War I.”
The American Intelligence Journal (Vol. 34, No. 1, 2017), magazine of the National Military Intelligence Association, recently published a glowing book review written by Dr. Russell G. Swenson, Latin American expert and former research director of National Intelligence University.
“The author stitches together photographic and documentary evidence with reasoned inference in a manner reminiscent of a Ken Burns documentary... “The author does accomplish the book’s objective—‘to bring to light and make sense of the intelligence war in Latin America during World War I.”
Book Review - International Affairs
Read the Book Review in International Affairs (vol. 92, no. 5, September 2016), a journal of Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, by Henry Plater-Zyberk, esteemed strategic studies analyst and author.
"One of the book's strongest points, and there are many, is the coverage of the German intelligence network in Latin America and Berlin's changing relations with governments in the region... Well documented and well presented, this book is a professionally woven tapestry of true and never-seen-before stories from the First World War."
Read the Book Review in International Affairs (vol. 92, no. 5, September 2016), a journal of Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, by Henry Plater-Zyberk, esteemed strategic studies analyst and author.
"One of the book's strongest points, and there are many, is the coverage of the German intelligence network in Latin America and Berlin's changing relations with governments in the region... Well documented and well presented, this book is a professionally woven tapestry of true and never-seen-before stories from the First World War."
Book Review - CIA Studies in Intelligence
Read the Book Review in Studies in Intelligence (vol. 60, no. 4), the journal of the CIA Center for the Study of Intelligence, by Hayden Peake, renowned curator of the CIA's Historical Intelligence Collection.
"The Intelligence War in Latin America reveals widespread intelligence activities of the nominally neutral Latin and Central American countries as they cooperated with Germany and Japan—a putative ally against Germany—to further their own ends at the expense of the United States."
Read the Book Review in Studies in Intelligence (vol. 60, no. 4), the journal of the CIA Center for the Study of Intelligence, by Hayden Peake, renowned curator of the CIA's Historical Intelligence Collection.
"The Intelligence War in Latin America reveals widespread intelligence activities of the nominally neutral Latin and Central American countries as they cooperated with Germany and Japan—a putative ally against Germany—to further their own ends at the expense of the United States."
Book Review - Latin American Politics and Society
Read the Book Review in Latin American Politics and Society (vol. 60, no. 4, winter 2018) , a journal of the University of Miami and Cambridge University Press, by Dr. William E. Kelly, distinguished professor of political science at Auburn University.
"The focus of this valuable book is intelligence activity among many countries in Latin America during the period of the First World War and a short time later. ...Throughout the book runs the theme that intelligence operations can help or hurt a country in a variety of ways. The book also shows that intelligence operations go beyond political considerations and affect a host of other matters pertaining to national security."
Read the Book Review in Latin American Politics and Society (vol. 60, no. 4, winter 2018) , a journal of the University of Miami and Cambridge University Press, by Dr. William E. Kelly, distinguished professor of political science at Auburn University.
"The focus of this valuable book is intelligence activity among many countries in Latin America during the period of the First World War and a short time later. ...Throughout the book runs the theme that intelligence operations can help or hurt a country in a variety of ways. The book also shows that intelligence operations go beyond political considerations and affect a host of other matters pertaining to national security."
Book Review - Journal of First World War Studies
Read the book review in First World War Studies by Dr. Ellen Tillman, award-winning writer, assistant professor of history at Texas State University, and avid historian of military history and Latin American history.
"It is impossible in a few words to summarize the scope of themes and dimensions in this coverage of the intelligence war in the Americas. Bisher provides extensive biographical sketches for many of the agents; analyses of intercepted diplomatic correspondence showing the Japanese government’s approaches toward potential and current US enemies; discussion of evolving communications technologies; in-depth detail of major events coinciding with the war such as the Mexican Revolution and US interventions; the incremental and often-improvised development of early US intelligence services; the role of US popular opinion; the ways that the war showed smaller nations the value of prioritizing intelligence operations (e.g., 317). This is only to name a few of the work’s extensive contributions."
Read the book review in First World War Studies by Dr. Ellen Tillman, award-winning writer, assistant professor of history at Texas State University, and avid historian of military history and Latin American history.
"It is impossible in a few words to summarize the scope of themes and dimensions in this coverage of the intelligence war in the Americas. Bisher provides extensive biographical sketches for many of the agents; analyses of intercepted diplomatic correspondence showing the Japanese government’s approaches toward potential and current US enemies; discussion of evolving communications technologies; in-depth detail of major events coinciding with the war such as the Mexican Revolution and US interventions; the incremental and often-improvised development of early US intelligence services; the role of US popular opinion; the ways that the war showed smaller nations the value of prioritizing intelligence operations (e.g., 317). This is only to name a few of the work’s extensive contributions."
Book Review - Latin American Research Review
Read the complete book review in LARR by Dr. Thomas M. Leonard, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of North Florida, editor of the Encyclopedia of US-Latin American Relations, author of several scholarly books about Latin American history, and international lecturer.
"Bisher provides excellent historical context and with biographic information of the major players in Latin America’s
intelligence world. Intelligence usually means the gathering of information for use against one’s opponent: political, military, economic. Bisher goes beyond the commonly used definition to include propaganda, counterpropaganda, infrastructure, and sabotage, all of which contributes to the book’s importance."
Read the complete book review in LARR by Dr. Thomas M. Leonard, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of North Florida, editor of the Encyclopedia of US-Latin American Relations, author of several scholarly books about Latin American history, and international lecturer.
"Bisher provides excellent historical context and with biographic information of the major players in Latin America’s
intelligence world. Intelligence usually means the gathering of information for use against one’s opponent: political, military, economic. Bisher goes beyond the commonly used definition to include propaganda, counterpropaganda, infrastructure, and sabotage, all of which contributes to the book’s importance."
Book Review - MarzAat (Literary Recon into the Wilderness of Books)
Read the Book Review on MarzAat's interesting blog...
"Bisher’s reason for extending the book to 1922 is that many of the intelligence agents, corrupt officials, and their networks continued beyond the war..."
Read the Book Review on MarzAat's interesting blog...
"Bisher’s reason for extending the book to 1922 is that many of the intelligence agents, corrupt officials, and their networks continued beyond the war..."
Author - Jamie Bisher
Read about another book by Jamie Bisher, White Terror: Cossack Warlords of the Trans-Siberian
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